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CM directs officials to prepare estimates for LI schemes under the ayacut of Nagarjuna Sagar Left Canal and invite tenders by June 15
Hyderabad: The Irrigation department is all set to prepare estimates and invite tenders for all the 15 lift irrigation schemes proposed to be taken up between Devarakonda and Kodad under the ayacut of Nagarjuna Sagar Left Canal, by June 15. Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, who laid foundation stones for these projects at Nellikal recently, directed the officials concerned to this effect and asked Energy Minister G Jagadish Reddy to coordinate with the officials to prepare separate estimates for all the projects and invite the tenders at one go.
The Chief Minister chaired a high-level meeting at Pragathi Bhavan here Tuesday on irrigation projects being taken up in both Krishna and Godavari River basins. He also discussed the condition of existing projects, and directed officials to take up repair works ahead of the monsoon season. He advised the irrigation engineers to make it a priority to fill all the water bodies including reservoirs, lakes, tanks and checkdams during the upcoming monsoon season.
Chandrashekhar Rao directed the officials to start lifting water from Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme soon after the commencement of the monsoon season and fill all the water bodies till last the ayacut areas like Thungathurthy. It was observed that nearly 90 per cent of the existing water bodies were already filled to their capacity with KLIS water and the groundwater levels had also risen to good heights enabling farmers to take up extensive paddy farming under borewells. “The Irrigation department should be fully prepared to supply water to the agricultural fields as the farmers will commence paddy cultivation at the onset of Rohini Karte soon,” he said.
To make optimum use of the irrigation projects constructed by spending crores of rupees, the Chief Minister emphasised the need to study the water flow and prepare strategies for diverting the water to agriculture lands. He pointed out that the water flow in Pranahitha River intensifies after June 20 and asked the officials to lift the water to fill all the water bodies under KLIS. They were asked to complete pending repair works of canals, if any, as well as operation and maintenance works of all the irrigation projects to keep them ready for the monsoon season.
Chandrashekhar Rao pointed out that Telangana State earned about 17 per cent of its revenue through agriculture sector even during the Covid-19 pandemic last year. He reiterated that the officials to understand the importance of agriculture sector and its impact on the State economy to devise strategies accordingly. “Due to the efforts of the Irrigation department, the face of agriculture sector in the State has completely changed as we are cultivating nearly 35 lakh acres under KLIS alone. Telangana also emerged as the second largest producer of paddy in the country after Punjab,” he added.
He stated that the agriculture sector was ignored in Telangana region in erstwhile Andhra Pradesh forcing farmers to dig about 30 lakh borewells at their own expenses. However, with the completion of massive projects such as KLIS and supply of free power, the farmers now have access to plenty of water enabling them to cultivate crops under borewells on par with the project ayacut.
The Chief Minister observed that construction of checkdams was yielding good results and insisted that all the checkdams proposed in first phase should be completed before June 30. Considering the water availability from Yellampalli to Dummugudem till end of October, the officials were asked to pump out the water to fill all the checkdams, tanks and other water bodies which would enhance groundwater levels ensuring adequate irrigation facility for the second crop. He suggested the officials to adopt similar strategy for Krishna Basin as well.
